Today we talk about inviting guests to join you in your D&D campaign.

Here are some of the topics we talked about :

Should you have guest players?

Reasons For

The guest has never played D&D. Allowing them to play with an established group would give them a better experience than just having them find a random group who may or may not have played before.

Bringing in a guest might allow you to portray an important NPC in the story without having to roleplay them yourself

Reasons Against

Adding in a guest might disrupt the flow of the game and the group. They may not mesh because they probably don’t understand the inside jokes and comradery of the group

Why should you try having a guest player?

How Should You Do It?

How Should You Not Do it?

Mentioned in this episode:

Always Have Your Sessions Prepared!

You work 8 hours a day. You spend time with your family when you come home. You do work around the house and it seems you never have as much time as you would like to prepare your D&D sessions. Does this sound like you? Wouldn’t it be amazing to have endless material prepared for your D&D sessions anyways? That’s where Roll and Play Press comes in. Roll and Play Press provides D&D 5e Compatible materials for any type of session. Running a one-shot? Check out their One Shot Wonders book with over 100 one-shot ideas. Getting started with your new sci-fi campaign? Get their Game Master’s Sci-Fi Toolkit to have your games much more prepared. Why reinvent the wheel? Check out Roll and Play Press at rollandplaypress.com and get 10% off when you buy something by using the code BETTERDM10.

Roll and Play Press

Follow us on Instagram

Thanks again for listening to our show. If you like our content and would like to engage with more of our content, head over to our Instagram account, @howtobeabetterdm, and give us a follow. Make sure to watch some of our helpful Dungeon Master Rules videos to give yourself some structure and procedure as a Dungeon Master. Don’t forget to reach out with a DM and we can talk shop. https://www.instagram.com/howtobeabetterdmpodcast/

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Welcome back to How to be a Better DM, the

official podcast of Monsters.Rent.

2

I'm your host today, Justin Lewis, here

with my friend and colleague Tanner

3

Weyland.

4

Any words to share with the audience,

Tanner?

5

Um, words to share.

6

Well, I heard the word your curial the

other day on the podcast and I thought it

7

was really interesting.

8

But, but aside from that, hi, hi

everybody.

9

Glad to be here with you.

10

I do like that word.

11

I don't know what it means, but I'll have

to look that up later.

12

Because today we are talking about

something that I've actually wanted to

13

talk about for a while.

14

D&D is such a fun game that obviously we

all love to play.

15

And I know I say we all do stuff.

16

I say we all a lot, but I'll try not to

say that.

17

Usually though, when you have something

that you love, you tend to invite others

18

to join with you.

19

In the case of D&D, that can kind of lead

to large parties and tables that are

20

overcrowded and unmanageable games,

especially for DMs.

21

I myself suffer from the same problem.

22

But what if you just invited someone to

play for only a couple weeks, right?

23

What if they were allowed at the table

only for a little bit of time as a guest?

24

Is that something you can do?

25

How does that work?

26

What might go wrong?

27

That's...

28

Go ahead.

29

I totally agree that it's something that I

think a lot of DMs worry about because I

30

mean, for a great majority of us, I would

argue we have a hard enough time just

31

getting up the courage to ask our friends,

our good friends who are interested in D&D

32

to be part of a campaign or a one shot,

right?

33

We're like, that takes about as much

courage or goodwill that we have with our

34

friends to ask that.

35

time, you know, gaming sesh or, or someone

who maybe you aren't as familiar with or a

36

new friend, you know, that's, it's kind of

nerve wracking, right?

37

Yeah, yeah.

38

So let's get into it.

39

First, I want to talk about, let's

discuss, should you try having guests at

40

your table, or should you not?

41

And let's kind of explore both options.

42

So go ahead.

43

Um, I mean...

44

say that if you want to share the

experience of D&D, I mean absolutely,

45

right?

46

If you have a good party of players who

know how to make the game fun, who you

47

enjoy kind of DMing, then inviting someone

else that you would like to introduce to

48

the whole, you know, to the whole genre of

tabletop role playing, especially D&D,

49

that just seems like a win, right?

50

Absolutely.

51

Honestly, um, it's one of the best ways to

spread the hobby.

52

Uh, and I know that sounds really weird.

53

It's like a virus, but DND.

54

I mean, I mean, when you first, well, uh,

Nowadays DND is being portrayed a lot more

55

in pop culture in a positive light than it

has been in the past and

56

That said, that makes people a little bit

more willing to try it.

57

That said, people are still seeing that it

does seem to take some sort of a

58

commitment, right?

59

And when people ask me, you know, how long

does D&D take?

60

I'll say, you know, three to four hours is

like a normal session that we usually

61

play.

62

Like I think my group usually does three

hours.

63

That's kind of our standard.

64

And when I tell them that we've been going

for three years, they kind of balk at

65

that, you know, unless they're actually

into it.

66

And I think.

67

inviting someone as a guest to say, hey,

you know, we're playing this Friday.

68

How about you just come play as a

character I can help you make and see if

69

you like it.

70

And if you don't, that's totally fine.

71

If you do, I'll only let you play for like

two more sessions or something like that,

72

right?

73

Yeah, and that's something to consider as

well.

74

You know, if it's someone looking for a

long term place in your game, maybe don't

75

give them too much false hope with just

like, hey, yeah, come and come and join.

76

Unless you're willing to take on another

person.

77

That's something that should always be on

the table here is like, hey, it would suck

78

to give someone one opportunity to have

fun with you and then be like, oh, we're,

79

we're all full over here.

80

So maybe before you, if you're going

81

to invite someone for a one-time guest

player experience, you should honestly be

82

willing, if they wanted to, to have them

join for a longer period of time, right?

83

Because that's just being a good friend.

84

But I think that maybe...

85

Oh, go ahead.

86

would actually add that you can, and I

think I've done this in the past, when you

87

invite them, explain to them that this is

a short-term thing, right?

88

That there will come a time in the story

where their character will part ways and

89

they will not be invited to play at the

table anymore.

90

And it's kind of hard saying that, right?

91

So I wouldn't necessarily use those words.

92

I would probably just say, hey, would you

wanna come play D&D with us?

93

I want to invite you as a guest for only a

couple weeks, right?

94

Make it very clear that it's only a couple

weeks, you know?

95

And if it goes longer, you can say,

actually, can you come back one more week?

96

But like Tanner said, if you don't say

that, you will have to be willing to have

97

that conversation of, I should've told you

this, you know, and you're probably gonna

98

hurt someone's feelings, or you have to...

99

bring them into the fold, right?

100

You got to do one or the other.

101

Yeah, exactly.

102

OK, so just to jump ahead a little bit, I

think once you've made that decision,

103

like, hey, this person seems cool.

104

I want to invite them.

105

And you've invited them.

106

You're probably wondering at that point.

107

How could I do this cleanly?

108

How can I do this so it won't disrupt the

flow of the game?

109

Because I've seen it, you know, I've seen

this in a lot of podcasts and a lot of

110

campaigns where a guest player is just

allowed to portray an important NPC in the

111

story, right?

112

Or a new NPC, right?

113

Either one works, but they basically get

to inhabit someone that's already in the

114

world.

115

And so it's no loss

116

can't make it a week or if they stop

playing altogether, right?

117

Which is typically the case with these

guest players.

118

And so I think that's a great way to make

it work seamlessly into your campaign.

119

Absolutely.

120

In fact, just an example from my own

campaign, my brother-in-law and

121

sister-in-law moved down here from, I live

in Utah, they moved here from Spokane,

122

Washington for the summer.

123

And my brother-in-law loves D&D.

124

He's played, like when he's visited

before, he's sort of done kind of

125

guesting, right?

126

But in this instance, he, a couple times

actually, because his schedule was a

127

little bit off and on.

128

He made a character and then I sort of had

the character just disappear Right the

129

first time the second time I had him kind

of assumed the role of a character an NPC

130

that the party was dealing with and Him

creating the character profile for that

131

sort of fleshed out the NPC a lot more and

then now that he left Just because he

132

wasn't that consequent the character

wasn't that consequential he was just sort

133

of helping around I Didn't need to mention

him very much at all

134

and the story continues.

135

So that's something I would definitely

recommend, like Tanner said, is when

136

introducing the characters, you need to be

deliberate about how you do it.

137

Another example, I had my friend's

brother-in-law join us because he had just

138

gotten back from serving a mission to, I

don't remember where he served, but he

139

served a two-year mission, so he was kind

of new to being, not serving people all

140

the time, right?

141

And I said, hey, join us for a little bit.

142

I introduced him in a very specific way.

143

It was in the underdark, they found him,

and he sort of latched onto their group

144

because there was no one else.

145

And then he actually ended up dying.

146

So that was sort of like a perfect way to

make it so he didn't keep playing with us.

147

But that's another example.

148

You just gotta be very deliberate.

149

Yeah, exactly.

150

And so I think that a key thing with a

guest player, depending on your

151

relationship with them and also what

they're hoping to get out of it, you're

152

going to want to tailor some of your

gameplay or your DMing to that, right?

153

If they're new to D&D, which I think

that's gonna be the case for a lot of

154

these guest players.

155

you're going to want to make the next few

sessions where they're playing extra fun.

156

And you know, you're going to want to have

a variety of stuff.

157

You're going to want to have combat that

the guest player can actually do well at,

158

right?

159

So if they don't know how to how to build

their own character, you do that for them.

160

Or you have another player, you know, you

can delegate, right?

161

Other players, I mean, they don't have to

plan a whole session.

162

Be like, hey, we're going to invite this

guy.

163

Can you help him build a character, you

know?

164

Delegate it out.

165

Save some time for yourself.

166

And then make sure that the character is

built well so that they can roll well for

167

like, charisma stuff or for combat.

168

But on the other hand, if they're more

experienced, then you might wanna find out

169

what they enjoy about D&D and make sure

that the next few sessions have that

170

specifically, right?

171

Yeah, and I think it's important to also

say at this point, we probably should have

172

said it sooner, that before you get super

excited and you're like, yes, I can

173

finally invite this one person, you have

to make sure it's okay with your group.

174

I think that's one thing that I didn't do

right when I've invited people before.

175

I just sort of surprised my group.

176

Luckily, they were awesome and they just,

they were actually excited about it, but

177

going back in time, I would have.

178

sit my group down and said, hey, I want to

experiment bringing guests in from time to

179

time.

180

Is that okay with you guys?

181

When you do that though, you have to be

aware that it's very probable your players

182

will, well, it's probable they will find

someone they want to invite and bring to

183

the table.

184

And you're gonna have to be at least

willing to talk about that.

185

Yeah, and then like if they start bringing

other people then you also have to be more

186

flexible maybe in just your interpersonal

reaction, just how you interact with them.

187

Because the thing is when it's you

personally and you meet someone and

188

they're like oh I love D&D but then if you

hate their personality or at least if

189

you're like oh I don't really jive well

with them then you can just keep your

190

mouth zipped right and you're like

191

They don't need to know that I'm running a

DM session, or they don't need me to

192

invite them.

193

But if other players are inviting their

own guest players, there's no guarantee,

194

right?

195

And so I think that if it's a case like

that, you want to let them know and be

196

like, hey, yeah, we can have them for a

couple of times, set an expectation with

197

your player who invited them.

198

They're like, yeah, we could do, this

might even be a good opportunity to do a

199

one shot or a two session kind of shot,

right?

200

Where you're like, oh, yeah, let's have

them play.

201

In fact, let's just do a separate one.

202

And then you kind of like...

203

give that player a trial period in a way.

204

You know, you just wanna be aware because

there's always the chance that someone

205

enters your group of players who doesn't

mesh with the rest of the people.

206

And that's not bad on their part, it's not

bad on your part, but sometimes it happens

207

and you just wanna be aware and set

yourself up with some soft boundaries so

208

that you guys all still have fun.

209

for sure.

210

And to that point, I think it's okay if

anyone invites a guest, it's okay for you

211

to sit them down or text them or call them

and sort of coach them on the culture of

212

the table and sort of the norms, as well

as your expectations as a dungeon master.

213

And it would be a good idea to do sort of

the similar thing to

214

other players at the table if you're

bringing in a new guest, right?

215

Uh, because if, if it's, well, when I mean

a new guest, a person new to D and D, if

216

the other players are sort of not really

helping them, then that's going to give

217

them a bad experience.

218

Uh, but also you want to talk to that

person and coach them because if they're

219

sort of just stealing the limelight all

the time, none of the other players are

220

going to have a good experience.

221

So you have to make sure everyone, like

you said, Tanner, everyone is having a

222

good time.

223

Yeah, if you've ever had, you know, your

mom or dad or someone, an adult being

224

like, hey, this person is new to the class

or new to the neighborhood or something,

225

can you make sure you play nice with them?

226

You know, essentially you need to have

that version of a conversation, a DM

227

version of that conversation with your

players and be like, hey, this person's

228

new, or hey, this person is really

interested in playing but they're a little

229

nervous, please give them opportunities to

speak,

230

over them, include them in roleplay, you

know, and also give them suggestions if

231

they have questions about how combat

works, you know.

232

I think that that's a very simple thing

you can do that a lot if you have a good

233

relationship with your players they're

gonna take that, you know, of course they

234

will, why wouldn't they?

235

But beyond that I also think that you need

to, and I love what you said about like

236

explaining

237

the basics of the culture of gaming at

your table because we've said this before

238

where like, hey, when you first get a

group of people together to become a

239

long-term...

240

D&D group, right?

241

You kind of have to set expectations of

like, hey, this is how I run things.

242

If you have any questions, do this.

243

After a session, I'm gonna talk to you

about these things.

244

You set expectations, kind of like a

session zero thing.

245

And any guest player that comes in,

they're not gonna have that.

246

And it's not necessarily fair that you

don't give, have a brief conversation and

247

be like, yeah, here's the things that are

core to our party.

248

Here's some basic rules

249

have in terms of just interactions and any

questions you know

250

Exactly.

251

And honestly just thinking back of the

different times where I've invited people,

252

I'm thinking of all these mistakes that I

made because I definitely didn't do those

253

two, you know, sitting my players down or

sitting the guests down.

254

And I definitely think that hampered the

session.

255

And actually, the session in question

brings up another point that I...

256

recommend is when you bring in a guest,

you do need to make sure the character

257

fits in a story, it fits in the story in a

way that the other player characters want

258

to do, want them to sort of adventure with

them.

259

So the example I'm thinking of, my

sister-in-law decided to try and play with

260

us and at the time my players were still

in the Astral Sea, right?

261

They were on a space station.

262

and they had just gotten there and my

thought process was like, hey, you know,

263

like, as soon as they get there, this

guest character will bump into them

264

running from some other big creature.

265

Right.

266

And then I had this whole plot of like

this player character or this guest

267

character had lost her memory and she

wanted them to help her and, and they

268

would go into the belly of this, the space

station, they'd find this obelix and

269

you know, they'd fight it and the Obelix

had stolen her memories and then she gets

270

her memories back and she realizes she's a

time traveler and she finds her ship and

271

goes back in time and then, you know,

that's, that's her session, right?

272

Uh, but what happened was, you know, she

bumps into them.

273

She's like, Hey, this big guy's chasing

me.

274

The party, you know, scares the big guy

off.

275

And then they're like, who are you?

276

And she explains and they're like, okay,

whatever.

277

We don't care.

278

And they just like went on their way.

279

And so like this whole story of this

character that I helped her make was just

280

like gone.

281

And it really made for sort of an awkward

session for her and that was her first

282

session.

283

I think I did her a big disservice in not

making it a little bit more intertwined.

284

Yeah, that's a really great point where

it's like, you know, especially if they're

285

a guest player, you want fewer loose

threads with how you introduce their

286

character into the story.

287

All right.

288

And yeah, that might feel railroad-y, but

you gotta do it.

289

Otherwise, you're lining up the dominoes

in a way that's not gonna be satisfying.

290

I also think that, you know, when

you're...

291

when you're thinking about, you know, this

whole question, because I know we're

292

wrapping up here, but

293

You know, we've said a lot of things like,

hey, do this, don't do that.

294

Consider these different points.

295

In the end, I would really just encourage

you, if you have anyone that you want to

296

invite, you know, do it.

297

And maybe this is my parent moment of

being like, hey, be nice.

298

But basically I think that D&D is such a

fun thing, that if you find someone that

299

you have, you know, the thought, or that

your players have the thought, like, hey,

300

this would be really fun to play with

them.

301

You know, do it.

302

D&D is a great thing because you can

interact with people at a different level

303

and you can make friends You know

different friends new friends And so, you

304

know if you don't take anything away from

today At least take away that you should

305

try and look for opportunities to

introduce people not only to the game But

306

also to having a more fun time with you,

right and then hopefully, you know with

307

experience and with some of this advice

We've given you You can kind of take it to

308

the next level and prepare them back

309

prepare your party better but you know

failing all that it's still totally worth

310

it to invite a guest

311

I couldn't agree more, honestly.

312

I think that is probably the biggest

takeaway I would give is just try it.

313

It will spice things up for your story

because there's gonna be a new face at the

314

table.

315

Everyone's kinda gonna be abuzz with

energy just because there's new energy at

316

the table.

317

But also, if you need more reason, go look

at Critical Role.

318

They've done this a couple times.

319

Go look at High Rollers in the UK.

320

They've done this a couple times.

321

And it always makes for sort of a fun

322

situation because you can call back to

those characters, those sort of iconic

323

characters that the guest played later in

the campaign and it sort of gives sort of

324

a nostalgia effect, the callback, it's

just a good all around thing.

325

So last thing we're going to say is do it

and let us know how it goes.

326

You can actually reach out to us on

Instagram.

327

We are at howtobetabetterdm or at Monsters

Rent, I think it is.

328

Yeah.

329

We couldn't put the dot in there because

Instagram's dumb.

330

It should be Monsters.Rent, but it's at

MonstersRent.

331

Yeah, send us a message.

332

We'd love to see how it went.

333

But we're going to be back next week for

another awesome episode from me and

334

Tanner.

335

And until then, let's go ahead and roll

initiative.

336

Thank you.